Rant, meme, blah

[taratemima]

I was actually responding to comment on this page about Bill O'Reilly and dumb remarks about Christmas, and the OH NOES threats to it by people who rather not be bombarded with it.



Mr Parks:

"The fact is that the US is a Christian country because that's what the majority of Americans are."

'Tyranny of majority aside,' this is not a 'Christian' nation. This nation does not have one definition of Christianity, no state church and no tests of faith.

This is because even the Christians themselves cannot decide who is really Christian. There are Protestants who think my Catholic relatives are glorified pagans who worship statues. No one celebrates Christmas the same way either. Heck, some denominations don't even celebrate Christmas (Jehovah's Witnesses). Obnoxious red and green displays is no more respectful of their religion than it is of the other religions.

"The only Jews who can possibly have a problem with that are the assimilartionist Jews who don't appreciate our beautiful Jewish heritage and traditions,"

It's 'assimilationist,' and they are not the only ones. There are other winter holidays, and guess what? They want to get candles and food and geegaws too. Retailers know that. The thing that makes Christmas distinct from the other holidays is the idea of the birth of savior. You know, the thing that replaced the celebration of Saturn and Mithras it used to be. You'd think if they were really concerned about consumerism, they would spend more time planning to going to church on Christmas Eve and Day and less time harping on store displays. But no--it is important to ruin everyone's winter holiday because they want their version and their version only accepted.

Plus, I know Hannukah is not a major holiday in Judaism, but isn't the whole point of it proclaiming the miracle of defeating an enemy trying to keep them from practicing their religion? Keeping them from holding on '[their] beautiful Jewish heritage and traditions?' With that whole seperation of church and state thing, they can if they want. As goofy as 'Hannukah bushes' and such are, they are not the sole manifestations of the holiday. You've heard of the Chabad's public menorah lightings, right? I suspect they realize that as if they talk about the origins of a certain winter holiday, that Jewish people may delve more into the other traditions, the whole 'if they want to' part.

'and who don't like the idea that we Jews are "different".'

Not different, Mr. Parks, inferior because they are different. How familiar are you with the belief in the Rapture? To quote another person: This bunch believes the Rapture will only happen AFTER Israel is destroyed. And for the destruction to happen, well there has to be an Israel...So when O-Reilly tells that man to go to Israel, it's worse than just telling him to leave the US. It's O'Reilly hoping the man dies. Plus, the conversion missions the caller mentioned--c'mon, you've heard of Jews for Jesus, right? Using Jewish symbols to convince to convert, er, I mean, become 'completed Jews.' Misrepresenting a religion gets me mad, and I'm not born Jewish. Converting to Christianity and celebrating Christmas seems to be the depth of 'assimilation' to me. I imagine it would be far worse for you as an Orthodox Jewish person than someone wanting a store to sell some Hanukah decorations and candles.

"But we are, and we should be proud of it."

Yes, you should and surprise, there are people who do not want their holidays ignored. This is far from an isolated event.

Chag Samach,
Tara


I think I left out a lot of assumptions. Mainly that first make only Christmas celebrated, then make only Christianity recognized.

Oh and I take stock of my life.


Taking Stock from chaiya

[ ] I wish I was a different ethnicity.
[] I have had an eating disorder.
[x] I am short.
[]I am tall.
[x] I prefer winter over summer.
[X] I am a geek.
[ ] I am a shopaholic.
[X] I am reasonably intelligent.
[X] I am attracted to girls.
[X] I am attracted to boys.
[X] I like British accents.
[ ] I smoke regularly
[ ] I smoke socially.
[X] I drink socially.
[ ] I drink regularly.
[X] I get drunk easily.
[ ] I do drugs.
[x] I will never date a bad kisser.
[] I've lied to avoid kissing.
[ ] I brush my hair at least 50 times a night.
[x] I am religious.
[ ] I am not religious but have morals. (Note: yes, I consider those both true.)
[ ] I lie frequently.
[x] I am impulsive.
[x] I am hardworking.
[x] I am good at History.
[ ] I speak more than two languages.
[x] I enjoy taking pictures.
[X] I like spending money on myself.
[X] I like spending money on others.
[x] I have a regular income.
[] I earn money on a job-by-job basis.
[x] I pay my own bills.
[x] I rely on my parents for money. (as in grocery bills and utilities)
[X] I can cook.
[ ] I enjoy cleaning.
[ ] Tidyness is a must in my life.
[x] I like clutter.
[ ] My idea of good music is Britney Spears
[x] I have heard of Blonde Redhead. (WHO?)
[x] I enjoy Blonde Redhead.
[ ] I am fashion-conscious.
[] I have good taste. (Well, I think I do, anyway.)
[ ] People tell me I have good taste.
[] I excel academically.
[ ] I am told I have yet to fulfill my potential.
[ ] I am good at sports.
[ ] I am good at certain sports.
[x] I couldn't do sports to save my life.
[X] I am creative.
[x] I am artistically inclined.
[ ] I want to be an artist when i grow up.
[ ] I want to be an engineer when I grow up.
[x] I eat when I'm upset.
[x] I cannot easily adapt to change.
[x] I am interested in politics.
[x] I have shoplifted.
[x] I download MP3s. (but only from band sites that offer them)
[ ] I've done underage drinking.
[ ] I've gone underage clubbing.
[x] I can dance reasonably well.
[ ] I can dance extremely well.
[ ] I dance like a cardboard gorilla.
[X] I can sing.
[ ] I sing like someone stepped on my foot.
[x] I can swim.
[x] I enjoy surveys.
[x] I enjoy surveys when I'm bored.
[x] I keep a journal.
[ ] My teachers dont like me.
[x] I enjoy controversy.
[x] I can be a bitch/bastard.
[x] I have a thing for bad boys/girls.
[ ] I have tattoos
[ ] I've been in a nudist colony.
[x] I'm not sure if I want to have children.
[ ] I'm not sure if I'll get married.
[x] I know who I will marry.
[X] I am interesting.
[] I am a good liar.
[X] People enjoy talking to me.
[x] I annoy people from time to time.
[ ] I am a born leader.
[x] I've snuck out of the house.
[ ] I enjoy belching.
[ ] I have a foot fetish.
[ ] I have a shoe fetish.
[ ] I watch Sex and the City.
[x] I don't think Sarah Jessica Parker is pretty.
[ ] I want to be J.Lo.
[ ] I cut myself.
[] I've cut myself.
[x] I hate people who pretend to be suicidal.
[] I hate popular people.
[x] I think cheerleading is a sport.
[ ] I'm photogenic.
[ ] I live in Chucks.
[x] I think graffiti is art.
[x] I've dated a criminal.
[X] I have been cheated on.
[X] I have cheated on someone.
[X] I have a temper.
[X] I like playgrounds.
[x] I dance in the rain.
[x] I am obsessed with Shakespeare.
[ ] I have tanlines.
[ ] My favorite color is pink.
[x] My favorite color is black.
[ ] I would classify myself as emo.
[x] I'm musically inclined.
[x] I like listening to music.
[ ] I like music-blasting cars.
[x] I like blasting music in my car (sometimes).
[ ] Thongs are comfortable.
[ ] I like flip-flops.
[x] I know what monogamy is.
[ ] and I believe in it.
[ ] I want to be a social worker when I grow up.
[x] I have siblings.
[x] My siblings annoy me.
[x] I am an insomniac
[x] I remember my dreams
[] I can do lucid dreaming.
[x] I have weird food customs.
[x] I try not to see the world in black and white.
[x] I've done spoken word.
[x] I've sang in public.


I owe people Hannukah cards. See, I had this ambitious idea for drawing a card, but you know, then it will be late for the people observing Hannukah. I didn't bother to write any of my story. Promised myself bed at night and the hour's long past it.